A heartbreaking post on social media sparked considerable awareness for a missing person in Seattle named Charlotte “Bowie” Drozd. Her father happens to be Steven Drozd, drummer for the long-running band The Flaming Lips. Charlotte has since turned up safe, but the unfolding drama had a community of musicians and fans on high alert, and the effort to find her ultimately proved a heartwarming ode to modern community.
So what sparked the alarm? Steven initially posted on X asking for help and alerting the public that his teenage daughter was missing, stating, “Our daughter Charlotte ‘Bowie’ Drozd has been missing in Seattle since 11:30am Saturday. Last seen on the monorail. We welcome any information or help.”
The most gut-wrenching post by Steven was a reply to his bandmate, Wayne Coyne, who took to Instagram to spread the word. Steven replied, stating, “Thank you Wayne for posting. We don’t know what to do.”
Coyne’s post that Steven was responding to read, “Urgent!!! Please help if you can!!! Steven’s daughter (she is 16 years old) is missing!!!”
The Seattle Police Department also posted about the teen. They gave a detailed description that reads, “Charlotte, 16 y/o, WF, 5’9”, 140lbs, brown eyes and long brown hair. Wearing khaki color shorts and pink shoes. Last seen Saturday 10-5-24 at 11:30 a.m., in the 400 block of Broad Street by the Space Needle.”
Current and former members of The Flaming Lips, including Matthew Duckworth Kirksey, Michael Irvins, Kliph Scurlock, and Nicholas Ley snapped into action, sharing info throughout social media, as did fellow artists Jack Black and Juliette Lewis.
The Flaming Lips are one of the most prolific bands of the last 30 years, recording 18 studio albums including the 2009 critically acclaimed Embryonic, which is the band’s highest charting album in the United States, peaking at number 8 on the Billboard 200.
The Seattle Times followed up on the case on Tuesday morning, announcing that Charlotte Drozd has been found and is safe.
TMZ soon reached out to Seattle police, and were able to confirm the news though they were unable to gather any information on what exactly happened, or how or where she was found. A Seattle police officer only said, “Charlotte has been located and is safe with her family.”
Wayne Coyne’s wife, Katy, posted on Instagram the news, saying that she was “found safe outside of Seattle.”
The welcomed good news is in contrast to other heartbreaking news over the weekend also involving a teenage girl that the band has connections to. Fellow musician and Flaming Lips collaborator Nell Smith, just 17-years old, was killed in a car accident this past weekend. The cause of the accident has not been revealed.
Simon Raymonde, the owner of the Bella Union record label, was planning to release Nell’s debut solo album. Instead, Raymonde stunned music lovers by announcing Smith’s passing.
“We are all shocked and devastated to hear of the sudden and tragic passing of our artist and dear friend Nell Smith, over the weekend in British Columbia,” Raymonde posted on Instagram. “Nell was just 17 and was preparing for the release of her first solo record in early 2025 on Bella Union, made in Brighton with Penelope Isles’ Jack and Lily Wolter.”
The Flaming Lips are currently on tour with upcoming final U.S. dates in California this week, though they’ll be performing in Australia in February.